


Unexpectedly intimate

by ovely



Category: Milifandom, Political RPF - UK 20th-21st c.
Genre: Gen, House of Commons, Reality, post-2015 election, swearing in, you don't have to go raving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-05-21
Packaged: 2018-03-31 20:36:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3991930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ovely/pseuds/ovely
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No relationships despite the title.<br/>Nick is reluctant on his return to Parliament, but he receives encouragement from an unlikely source.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpectedly intimate

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on video footage of MPs swearing in on the 20th of May, with some dialogue taken from [this article](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/uk-politics-video/11616033/Ed-Miliband-and-Nick-Clegg-joke-together-on-return-to-Commons.html).  
> Crossposted from the meme ("The Meme"), which I hope is deemed acceptable; thanks to those who prompted and reviewed there.
> 
> [Please read the mathematical disclaimer if you're into that.](http://licornoz.livejournal.com/758.html)

Coming back to the House, everything seemed startlingly real, as if he'd once gone diving and forgotten how to resurface, and just kept swimming for five years in the blueness of the ocean until something beyond his control had emptied out all the water and he'd found himself on dry land once again. He could almost forget the whole thing had ever happened. That despatch box was no longer his to sit behind: instead, a return to the old anonymity, the Commons he'd known in days gone by. That was the comfort of this place, the way it never changed, the way it welcomed each change of government with cool indifference.

The problem was the people.

Most of them were as keen to avoid Nick as he was to avoid them: after VE Day, he'd only spoken to David through the official channels, and as indirectly as possible, until yesterday he'd crossed paths with the man himself, shiny-faced and fresh out of his own swearing-in, surrounded by his reactionary pets. He'd nodded. Nick had nodded. David had smirked, perhaps. That had been all.

As for those of his own party, it was fortunate that their number had been reduced to so few if only for the reason that he was having to put up with the sight of them far less often. Indeed, there were, as always, so many new members: so many who watched him with curious eyes and, all too often, Scottish accents, when they thought his back was turned. But at the unanticipated sight of a told-you-so Labour face that months before he had seen shrieking in anger at him from across the chamber, or of somebody he'd once called a colleague standing up straight in a new blue suit and smilingly ignoring his presence, it was hard not to feel a strange twist in his stomach.

Swearing in was a necessary evil. Nick joined the lengthy queue, which stretched right back into the corridor, and made eye contact with the distant clock above the Speaker's chair. It was as weary as he was, grinding from one minute to the next.

"Nick," said a voice behind him. He turned reluctantly.

He didn't know who he'd expected to see, but it was not Ed Miliband.

"Ed," he replied automatically.

Ed looked cautious, but he launched impressively into the pleasantries. "How's it going? Good week off?"

"Hectic," said Nick. "You know, admin, that sort of thing."

"Sounds about right," Ed concurred.

A moment passed. Nick knew vaguely that he should ask something similar of Ed. He didn't much feel like it. Watching the clock was more appealing.

"Look, Nick," said Ed suddenly, and Nick turned back towards him warily. "I'm … I'm sorry, you know? You're a good guy."

Again, Nick had not seen this coming, least of all in a queue of MPs, all of whom seemed thankfully to be too interested in their own conversations to have heard. "Er, thanks," he replied.

"You know," said Ed apologetically, "I mean, it was hard for me, but it was hard for you too, yeah? I imagine," he added hastily.

"Pretty hard," Nick said, with a rueful smile.

"Of course. And, well, this sounds stupid, but don't take it personally." The absurdity of the situation was making Nick's smile more genuine. Ed continued.

"We can't give up fighting, in a political sense, and it's all of us against them now. But … don't be too hard on yourself. You've done a great job."

"Thanks," said Nick. He nodded thoughtfully. Stranger things had happened. Some naïve optimist had gone into coalition with the Tories once. But this would be a new beginning, for him if not for his party. He had played his part, and time would pass and the Liberal Democrats would find their place behind somebody new.

Their section of the queue moved into the chamber, and as Nick advanced, Ed hung back to greet some Labour members. Nick could hear the tiny hesitations in his speech as he wished them well. It was a strange thing.

Ed took up his place behind Nick again, and amazingly, Nick felt almost comforted by his return. Here, he now saw, was a man who understood him. His own smile had become a grin, which, now wearing unashamedly, he now saw reflected on the other man's face. "Good bunch back there," Ed said brightly.

"Glad to hear it," said Nick, and he really was. As he and Ed moved to face forwards, their attention turned towards the Speaker. "Back in his niche," he remarked.

"Yes," laughed Ed. "I can hardly imagine anyone else doing his job, now. Look at that handshake, he knows what he's doing." They both laughed, and fell to watching him in admiring silence for a few seconds.

It was with a certain pleasure that Nick felt the old rhythms of small talk with political rivals finally fall into place. "How are you, anyway? Holiday?" He gestured amicably towards Ed's tan. He hadn't had that at the Cenotaph.

Ed nodded proudly. "I'm good, I'm good. Have you been to Ibiza? I recommend it."

Nick raised his eyebrows in amused surprise.

"You don't have to go raving," Ed added solemnly, and then smiled.

Nick chuckled. "Maybe sometime then. Might do me good. How's the family?"

"Oh, Justine's well. The boys too. They can't imagine seeing me around, you know. It'll be nice for them."

"One of the upsides," Nick agreed.

"One of many. Don't you think?" Ed looked him in the eye questioningly.

"Yes, you're right. Many yet to be discovered."

Nick grinned at Ed before he turned back to face forwards. It was time for him to affirm now, and he almost bounced on his heels as he waited. Time to discover those upsides.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the first piece of fanfiction I've written in a very long time, probably since the 2010 election. It seems only right that the first thing I write be for the fandom that first properly took hold of me, back then when it was a really thriving LiveJournal community. On returning, I was sad to see how inactive it is these days, but among the many departures it has suffered, one was of course my own, and, like Ed, I accept full responsibility.


End file.
